Kansas governor backs bill to open records on child deaths

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer and the state's top child welfare official are backing legislation to require disclosure of some records when a child dies of abuse or neglect.

Colyer and Department for Children and Families Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel announced Monday that they're supporting a bill introduced last week in the Kansas House.

The bill would require the department to release a child's age, gender and date of death upon receiving an open records request. It also would have to release a summary of its reports of child abuse or neglect and its findings about those reports.

Kansas has had several high-profile cases in recent years of children who died in abusive homes. Colyer said under the bill, the public would learn what steps the state took to protect a child.